It took me awhile to get into this book. I know by page 80 I was wondering if I was going to ever start enjoying this book. I'm glad I held on, I'm not certain when it happened but at some point I was completely engulfed in the story. I think I just had a hard time liking Katsa at the beginning. It's just this thing I keep seeing frequently now where there is this super strong female lead but she has to be stripped of ALL femininity to be so strong. Like the fact that Katsa won't marry, have children, wear dresses or even wear long hair. She would still be a strong women if she choose to do any of those things! I just wish it didn't always have to be so radical, women can be strong and still wear a damn dress! I did end up liking her far better by the end of the book though, after she stopped being such an emotionless robot. It was an interesting story and I will probably read the second book.